Nyandarua Senator Joe Nyutu has accused the government of openly bribing voters in the run-up to the Ol Kalou parliamentary by-election, saying that state resources and development projects are being deployed to sway residents in favour of the ruling party’s candidate.

Speaking during a televised interview on Thursday, July 9, 2026, Nyutu said that several principal secretaries (PSs) and government officials have camped in the constituency, launching development projects while distributing items such as blankets, mattresses, rice and other goods to residents.

“You know, there are about six PSs in Ol Kalou at the moment. I cannot count the number of PSs that are there launching development projects and giving out goodies, blankets, and mattresses,” Nyutu said.

The senator dismissed suggestions that all political camps were engaging in similar conduct, insisting the opposition lacked the financial muscle to influence voters through handouts.

“I have not seen our side bribing anybody. In any case, we don’t have the resources to bribe people. But the government is bribing people openly, visibly,” he added.

Development projects timed with by-election

Nyutu questioned why the government had waited until after the death of former Ol Kalou MP David Njuguna Kiaraho before rolling out multiple development initiatives in the constituency.

He argued that if the projects were genuinely intended to benefit residents, they should have been implemented while the late legislator was still alive and serving the people.

“We are Africans, right? Why do we have to wait for a Member of Parliament to die for government to take those development projects, those transformers and all that?” he posed.

According to Nyutu, the timing of the projects suggests they are politically motivated rather than part of routine government service delivery.

“They are not bringing them because they love the people of Ol Kalou; they are bringing them to hoodwink them, to bribe them to vote for the UDA candidate. And it is open,” he said.

Questions over IEBC’s inaction

The senator also faulted the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for what he described as a failure to enforce electoral laws against voter bribery.

Nyutu argued that the commission has legal powers to take action against candidates or parties found engaging in electoral offences, but has remained silent despite what he termed ‘blatant violations’.

“I don’t know why IEBC has not taken action because I know IEBC has the power, for example, to disqualify any candidate who bribes, threatens voters and that kind of thing. So it’s an embarrassment,” he said.

He further claimed that the influx of government officials and campaign activities had disrupted normal economic activities in the constituency, with residents reportedly abandoning farm work whenever government delegations arrived.

Nyutu warned that the culture of distributing money and gifts during campaigns was creating unnecessary divisions within families and communities, saying elections should be decided by voters’ free choice rather than inducements.